Recipe - Pea And Fennel Soup

1 One fourth l Chicken stock; (2 pints)
1 Potato; peeled and cubed
25 g Butter; (1oz)
1 Rasher smoked bacon; rinded
and chopped
1 md Onion; peeled and chopped
1 Bulb fennel; trimmed and
chopped
2 Sticks celery; chopped
2 Cloves garlic; peeled
450 g Frozed peas; defrosted (1lb)
4 Sprigs fresh mint
1 tablespoon Caster sugar
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Crispy bacon bits and creme
fraiche to
; garnish

Pour the chicken stock into a medium sized pan, add the cubed potato and
simmer until it is soft.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat the butter and gently fry the bacon for
about 5 minutes. Add the onion, fennel, celery and garlic to the bacon,
cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes, or until
the vegetables are tender but not coloured.

Add the chicken stock and potato to the vegetable mixture, followed by the
peas and the mint.

Pour the soup into a food processor or liquidizer and blend until it is
smooth. Rinse the pan and return the soup to it through a sieve. Press the
debris, left in the sieve, firmly to extract the remaining liquid.

Return the pan to the heat. Stir in the sugar, then season to taste.

Serve piping hot, garnished with a little finely chopped fried bacon and a
drizzle of cr‚me fraîche.

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